A Cruel Trap
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: Slattery gets a lead on his family and knows he cannot just abandon it despite the fact that Chandler tells him it's probably a trap from their chief nemesis. But when he goes to investigate alone, he gets a lot more than he bargained for. Can Chandler save his XO in time?


**Title: A Cruel Trap**

 **Summary:** AU Slattery gets a lead on his family and knows he cannot just abandon it despite the fact that Chandler tells him it's probably a trap from their chief nemesis. But when he goes to investigate alone, he gets a lot more than he bargained for. Can Chandler save his XO in time?

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing from The Last Ship (sadly) only my hard working muse and the dream to work under Captain Chandler (pun intended) hehe

 **A/N:** Hey guys…back with a little Chandler/Slattery bromance/action/whump filled one shot and hope you all like it! And as with all my Chandler/Slattery stories they are buddy/buddy bromance - NO slash! Please enjoy.

* * *

"We don't know for sure," Chandler states with a small huff as his XO, Mike Slattery snatches the sheet from his grasp and glares at it with a heavy frown.

"Okay this address…it's just down from the Park where I found their abandoned encampment," Slattery replies with a hint of eagerness in his tone. "It's the first real lead we've had in days…you know I can't just ignore this. Foster said she picked up on the open channel. I know it could be a trap but…but I can't just ignore it. Not if they're there."

"And if Sean Ramsey has them and it's just a clever trap? I want Christine and the kids to be alive and well…you know I wish that for you But…but don't you think she'd try to get you a message herself? Find some way to get a secure message to you?" Chandler tries to reason. "You said you left her the radio right?"

"What if she didn't get home? What if she hasn't heard the broadcasts? What if she just assumes that everyone is still on the same side…" his voice dies out as he turns away with a head shake. "She would have seen…something. She used to be…damn is…she is a nurse!" He turns back to his captain and friend. "They're alive and I _need_ to go and find them. I don't need to take Cobra team with me…this I can do on my own so that way…if it's a trap it's just me," Slattery concludes with a firm nod. "No other lives at risk for _my_ family."

"Mike…" Chandler tries once more.

"I have to do this Tom. Nothing stopped you from finding your family…your dad. I'm asking for the same concession," Slattery's voice drops to a low pleading. "If there's any chance at all that they are alive and at that location I have go and see for myself. I have to try."

Chandler looks at his friend's determined expression and knows him to be right. How could he say no when they had gotten what _appears_ to be a viable lead. So many of his crew were still in limbo as to the fate of their missing loved ones, and even though he had lost his wife, he still has his father and children and the comfort that he has closure and that she didn't die alone. How could he deny his friend and right hand that knowledge? But at the same time, if it's a trap…a clever rouse to draw out the senior command one at a time using their hopes and fears against them, could he still chance it?

"Just me…"

"Can't let you go alone," Chandler tells him with a heavy sigh.

"I'm not asking for permission and I can't risk other lives for my own personal validation," Slattery states before he turns on his heel and leaves the mobile command unit; ducking out of the tent and disappearing from view before Chandler can say another word.

"Damn stubborn bastard," he huffs as he looks down the scribbled address that Lieutenant Kara Foster had gotten for them. He shakes his head as he reaches for his phone and then calls his father. "I need some help."

 _"Thought you guys had left port already?" Jed Chandler asks gruffly._

"Few loose ends to tie up. Got a few minutes?"

 _"Always. What's up?"_

"Need some information on a certain neighborhood," Chandler relays the address to his father.

 _"Rough area with a band of armed misfits who are ambushing anyone they deem a threat. Best to stay away from there if you can Why? What's there?"_

"Big…trouble. I'm coming to you," Chandler groans as he quickly hangs up.

XXXXXXXX

Slattery's heart starts to race a bit faster as he slowly meanders the jeep through the quiet streets of the suburban neighborhood that he used to call home. _Still call home…this is still home…until I know for sure my family is…gone…this is still home._ His mind can barely manage the word 'gone' as he knows it'll shatter him if he is to lose them for good – the way Tom lost his wife. _They're alive…think on that for now._

The first stop is his home to see if maybe Christine had found the items and had gone back into hiding or they were right where he had left them. He pulls his gun and then slowly heads inside his home.

"Christine? Honey you here? Hello? Anyone?" He calls out loudly as he points his gun toward the living room, his senses being assaulted by silence and the smell of musty air. _No one's been here in days…_ and those morbid suspicions are confirmed when he enters the living room, his right hand – gun still attached, drops to his side and he stares at the objects on the table. They were still there – untouched, the small vials of the antidote for his wife and children and a radio for them to call him; all collecting a fine film of dust. The detective in him instantly starts to look around for anything else that might seem out of place. Nothing.

"Damn it!" He curses as his ears pick up some movement. He instantly swings on his foot, gun raised, cocked and ready to fire. But he can only curse in futility as a mangy cat scampers from view, looking for food like so many. With a small grumble Slattery heads into the kitchen to see if there is even anything left in a box he can offer the starving animal.

"Stupid cat," he mutters as he puts the last few bits of kibble into a bowl, the sound of the food clattering to the bottom surface, calling the animal within seconds. "At least one of us gets what we want," he whispers as he pets the thin body as it rubs up against his leg, the tabby cat starting to purr within seconds. Slattery can only shake his head but inwardly smile as he recalls his daughter teasing him one time.

 _'That's such a lie dad, I saw you cuddling with Libby. You can admit it.'_

 _'I don't like cats.'_

 _'Uh huh…'_

He gently smirks as he fills up a small dish with tepid water and then heads back into the living room; leaving a note on the table before storing the vials and radio in a place that only his wife would know to look. Then he locks up the House once more and heads back to the Jeep and the back on toward his original destination.

But just as he's about to turn on the vehicle, his phone buzzes and he's quick to pull it and read the text.

 _'Mike it's me. I'm here with the kids. Can't talk loudly. We're with some kind of breakaway group as they call themselves. Can you come get us?'_

 _'Where are you?'_ He texts back in haste. When he sees the address his heart swells until he remembers Chandler's warning words in his head. _'It could be a trap to take down senior command one at a time by setting a trap using our family members'._ So as much as he hates to cast any dispersions on his wife, he sends another text before confirming his coming to get them.

 _'Remember the week of our honeymoon? What nickname did you come up with for me?'_ He knows it's stupid but knows his wife will know without hesitation.

 _'Pinky.'_

His lips offer an automatic snicker as he recalls fondly her pet name for him that was then after used only in certain circumstances and only when they were alone.

 _'I'm on my way.'_ He replies in haste, uttering a heavy sigh of relief.

Slattery directs the vehicle south past the Park encampment, entering a rather unfamiliar part of town and feeling his agitation starting to gain momentum. _Maybe…I shoulda brought backup…_ his mind chides as he stops the vehicle a few blocks away from his intended destination and heads for something…anything he can use to shield his presence until he wants himself to be made known. He feels the weight of his phone, now on silent, in his hip pocket and had thought about contacting his wife but wonders if…if it is a trap then he might give himself away prematurely.

He'd have to wait. He nears a back window and looks around before he stealthily approaches, his eyes darting around to make sure he's not seen. He peers through the dirty window – squinting into the area before him and hoping to catch a break. No such luck as he sees no one.

 _Just go careful and quiet…once you see her and if she's alone – then use your phone._ The plan sounds good and was solid to be sure. It just wasn't going to come to fruition.

Back at his home he had changed into civilian clothing so decides to take a chance, tucking his gun into his back and pulling his shirt down over it and heading for the front door. He nears it and then waits, listening a few seconds before he pulls it open and then quietly slips inside.

Slattery's ears pick up voices and his hand instantly goes for his gun, the chanting getting louder as he nears the center of the large open building. Before he can see what's going on in the room before him, a younger man steps out and then looks at him with a gasp.

"Wh-what do you want?"

"This woman…is she here?" Slattery asks as he holds up a picture of his wife. "Is she!" He demands impatiently as the younger man's eyes widen. "Sorry…she's my wife. Is she here?"

"I think so. Hold on. Is that her?"

Not realizing he's just been played, Slattery slightly turns to see who else was about to join the party. But that would only lead to his downfall as the first man uses the few second's distraction to hit him on the side of the head; Slattery's lips crying out as his body starts to falter; the gun in his hand swinging to the right to fire. Another swift blow to the side of his jaw renders that plan moot and his body crumples into darkness; another surprise blow and he's out – captive.

XXXXXXXX

"Why'd he go alone?" Jed Chandler asks his son as they near the area Slattery had parked his Jeep. Jed had told his son that the area where they had picked up Intel on Slattery's family was being controlled by a bunch of fanatics – they weren't on anyone's side and didn't trust anyone, especially the government after what they had learned Granderson and her team had done by killing rather indiscriminately. They would beat up and steal from anyone who dared to cross them – and sometimes just because they were bored.

 _'Can't blame them for not trusting the government…'_ Chandler had agreed upon hearing the news. They near Slattery's quiet Jeep and he can only frown and grumble in an undertone as his eyes dart around, looking for his missing XO. "He went alone because he's stubborn."

"Guess that's why you two are friends?" Jed shoots back as his son's lips purse. "Just saying…you're here alone."

"I'm not alone," Chandler looks at his father directly.

"Not exactly what I mean. Okay so best guess…he's in that building where I hear that shouting coming from."

"What the hell is that?" Chandler asks as they both near the Jeep and peer inside. "No sign of a struggle so he left it willingly."

"Or under duress," Jed remarks as Chandler looks at him with arched brows. "What? You didn't bring me here to sugar coat it right? Slattery's in trouble."

"Right," Chandler gently smirks as they pull away from the Jeep and stealthily make their way toward the building. Chandler had told Danny and Burk where he was going but not to be alarmed if he was delaying. However, they were to act if given a command that their captain and first officer were under attack or in trouble.

They near the building and head for the opposite side that Slattery had used; nearing a ground floor window and peering inside to see what all the commotion was about. But just as Chandler's eyes look inside and focus, his lips gasp and he quickly looks away.

"What the hell?" Jed exclaims as he peers inside, just to see the dead body of a man fall to the ground, his throat having just been slit and a man standing over him with a buck knife – the blade edge decorated with crimson sludge.

"Kill for fun huh," Chandler mutters in an undertone.

"Sick bastards. Think Slattery is in there?"

"I think…" Chandler starts and then stops as his verbal fears are confirmed. "Oh damn…he's in there alright," he lightly curses as both he and his father watch two men drag a captive Slattery out of a small room and deposit his semi-limp frame onto the floor. His wrists were bound behind his back and he was gagged with a dark cloth; a few scuffs and bruises from an apparent fight but otherwise unharmed. "This is bad…somehow we hafta get them out or get Mike out without…" he stops as both watch in horror as the man with the knife kneels down beside Slattery's slightly moving frame.

"He's going to kill him!" Jed hisses as they both watch the man hold the bloody blade up to Slattery and then press it against his neck.

"Wait!…it's a threat," Chandler whispers as the knife is pressed against his skin but it's not actually cut. The knife is then lowered and Slattery's captive frame pushed back to the floor. "Stay down Mike," Chandler whispers once more as he sees Slattery's eyes narrow and his legs kick out. Chandler can only mutter when he watches his stubborn friend and XO's body receive a swift blow to his mid-section, causing him to slump down in pain.

"You wouldn't just play possum either," Jed reminds his son.

"We have to get inside," Chandler tells his father as he watches two men each take an arm and drag Slattery back to the small, dark room he had just been taken out of. "Look around for another door."

"Tom…we can't do this alone."

"That's why I'm calling for backup. These guys aren't the only ones who can set a trap," Chandler retorts with a small hiss as he pulls his radio and calls Danny.

XXXXXXXX

"We followed you from your home! No one's coming to get you!"

The door is slammed shut, sealing his captive frame in darkness once more and allowing him a few seconds to curse his ignorance at falling for their deadly trap. _Stupid!_ Slattery's mind growls as he tries to shift to a seated position. His bound wrists strain and pull against the tight ropes in an attempt to find some kind of leeway in the knots that the can use to his advantage. Nothing is found and he can only slump back in miserable defeat.

 _Stupid!_ His mind curses his actions once more. But he knows he can't be faulted for wanting to prove to at least himself that his wife was still alive. His lips utter a painful grunt as his body shifts once more, the beating to his chest yelling at him to just stay put. But stay put for what? Until help arrives? He's sure that Chandler would come looking for him – in a few hours' time. After what he just witnessed, he's not sure he has even a few minutes time.

 _'Tell us where the cure is!'_

He had of course just glared back in contempt; his mind more interested in knowing how they got his wife's cell phone and knew that name she used to call him. _Is she dead? Did they torture her before she died? Made her give up my pet name? Maybe she's just a hostage here? Maybe!_

With that small glimmer of hope dancing around inside his weary brain, Slattery's hands start to feel along the floor boards for something…anything he can use to try to cut the ropes or in the very least loosen them and give himself a fighting chance.

But about ten minutes later, his efforts are cut short as the door is flung open and the harsh overhead lighting is flipped on, his eyes squeezing shut as two men rush toward him, each taking an arm and holding him still. The man with the knife from earlier walks into the room, up to him and kneels down before him, the knife still fixed in his grip.

"I know who you are Commander Slattery of the Nathan James," the man states as he roughly yanks the thick cloth from between Slattery's lips.

"Go to hell!" Slattery spits some bloody saliva, only to receive a harsh backhand to his already aching jaw.

"Now now…is that anyway to talk to your host?"

"You have a nice way of treating your guests," Slattery shoots back as he struggles in place.

"Only those that don't tell me what I want. Now…where is the cure?"

"Where's my wife!"

The man looks at him with a narrowed gaze as he raises the knife – this time the blade clean. "I don't think you heard me."

"Funny you _sound_ like you understand English!" Slattery retorts in sarcasm, receiving another stiff blow to his heavily throbbing jaw.

"How on earth did Christine put up with this side of you?"

"Where is she?" Slattery demands again; his body trying to in vain to pull free of the two men holding him captive. "Where!"

"You military types are all the same…even when you are captive and outnumbered you still think you're in control. Well…YOU'RE NOT! I AM! " The man shouts back in agitation. "Now…where is the cure? I'd say your ship but even I'm not a fool to think that me and my little band of merry men can take on the Nathan James alone. However, I'm sure that you've also established land labs or are going to try to set them up and the cure will be there. I just need to know where they are?"

"Why?"

"That's my business," Slattery's captor retorts.

"Well if your business is to save the lives of you and your people you only have to ask! The cure is free to anyone who…" Slattery hisses in anger before he notices the man's expression change. "Son of a bitch…" he curses gently. "You want to profit from it! You want to steal it and make these poor people pay for it? Why did you kill that man? Who was he?"

"Someone, who much like yourself thought he could continue to lie to me and think that my threats were idle and wouldn't be carried out. Had I truth serum I would have just stuck you with it and gotten the job done already. However, I don't have that so I have to resort to these…more crude methods."

"Crude and stupid. You keep killing everyone you'll never get the cure! Obviously you're not looking out for the best interests of anyone else in this building."

"Oh I will find it…we found a lot of valuable items in that encampment…not all belonged to military hot-heads such as yourself. Some men are easier to break," the man snickers as he leans in closer.

"You murdered him in cold blood!" Slattery seethes. "You brainwash all your onlookers and then you steal from them!"

"No, they are here of their own free volition and when I tell them, liars such as yourself are infected and if I don't offer a mercy killing we'll all be infected."

"Sick…" Slattery mutters.

"It is merciful. One slice across the jugular and I end their miserable existence."

"Bastard."

"Oh that I am. You know...tricking your wife into giving me a safe word was a joy indeed. Maybe I'll see what else she can offer me?"

Slattery's anger surges and he tosses his head forward, striking the leader right in the forehead and making him pull back with a startled yelp. "Where is she!" Slattery demands once more before the leader gestures for him to be silenced once more. "WHe….mmmmph," he grumbles as the gag is shoved back into his mouth.

The leader grabs Slattery's chin and painfully forces his face forward. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes. If I don't get what I want I'll take it out on your wife!"

"MMMMMMPH!" Slattery tries to call out as the two men force him back to the floor. He tries to kick at them as they leave but it's to no avail.

"Fifteen minutes or you die and I have my fun with her and then you die anyways!"

With those haunting and tormented words, the door is slammed shut and Slattery's aching frame sinks back into darkness, his mind wondering if his captor was telling the truth or just playing a really cruel bluff. Could he take the chance?

 _Damn…now what the hell do I do? Is she really here? Was he bluffing?_ His mind laments as he ponders the folly of his ways in not insisting on taking along backup. _What have I done?_

XXXXXXXX

"Found a way in," Chandler tells his father as he hurries back to the older man he had left to stand guard. "What's going on?"

"Three of them just went in to rough up Slattery. At least that's my guess. What the hell do they want? You'll give them the cure if they ask nicely."

"I don't think we have time to find out," Chandler nods toward the left hand side of the room where they see two other men enter with guns and a map.

"These guys are seriously bad news. Your team ready?"

"They're on standby," Chandler replies in truth as he gestures for his father to follow him. "This way will take us into the basement. Stay close."

"Oh trust me… I have no intention of going anywhere here on my own," Jed tosses back in sarcasm.

Chandler ducks into the little opening he had found, careful to not let anyone know they were there but his gun trained and ready for a fight just in case. He had put Danny on standby and at the signal of two pushes of the button they were to fire on specific coordinates – but only if the button was pushed.

 _'Sir are you sure you don't want us to come and storm the damn place? We'll have the XO out in minutes.'_

 _'No these guys might not be military but they aren't stupid. He's in a small room with no windows and only one way in, they have the upper hand. We need to draw them out. And we have the fire power to do that. Stand by on my command.'_

 _'Yes sir.'_

Chandler hears heavy stomping upstairs and looks at his father to go quietly up the left side; their hopes that the eldest Chandler male would be able to just upstairs and blend into the fray….or whoever was just milling around. Then to create a distraction such as a seizure or heart attack and let Chandler bring the rain and use that to free his XO.

Chandler waits at the bottom of the right stair case, his gun in hand, finger on the trigger and ready for action. _Hold on Mike…we're almost there._

Jed's eyes gently crinkle as he reaches the top of the stairwell and look around; hoping to find a way to get up and out of the stairwell without being noticed. He finally gets his opportunity as two men go to help a young woman with a task she wasn't able to perform. He slowly makes his way up to the top of the stairs and quickly settles into a chair and pretends to be slightly asleep.

As predicted, it's not long before he's noticed. "Hey…hey old man," one of them nudges Jed's shoulder; the older man's eyes pretending to struggle open. "You okay?"

"Shhhure," Jed replies, forcing a small slur and looking up with a frown.

"He's…drunk?"

"No way man…smell him. No booze. Maybe it's something else. Hey old man…do you feel sick?"

"Yes…very," Jed fakes as the two men look at each other and shrug. "Need some…help…to get up…" he fakes shaking limbs as he tries to stand up.

"Help him," the one directs the other as he leans in closer.

"Also…bad heart…" Jed fakes something else as he pulls all his weight to the ground, rolls onto his side and starts to shake.

"Ah damn he's going into arrest!"

 _Hurry up son before they bring the damn defibrillator machine!_

Chandler uses the well-crafted distraction from his father to hurry up the stairs and head for the room Slattery's being held captive in.

At the same time Slattery hears the commotion outside his darkened prison and hopes he can use that to his advantage, by getting the door open and then making a dash for it outside. He manages to use his bound wrists to pull himself upright and then stumbles toward the door, eyeing the light coming from the slit at the bottom. Just as he reaches the door, he sees feet instantly block the light and he stops; dropping his shoulder and ready to fight whoever has come to deliver him up to the devil.

Chandler pulls the door open and rushes in, being immediately knocked off his feet by his captive XO. "Mike! It's me!" Chandler's voice barks as Slattery stops before he bolts out the door, still bound. It takes only seconds before Chandler's up on his feet and yanking the gag from Slattery's mouth.

"Took you long enough," Slattery barks as Chandler merely offers him a slight smirk; a knife pulled and starting to slice through the ropes keeping Slattery's wrists bound. "Here they come!" Slattery calls out just as Chandler starts to saw through his ropes.

Chandler knew his presence wouldn't go undetected for too long but was hoping for a bit more time than a few seconds. He wouldn't get it.

"TOM!" Jed shouts as he bolts upright, punching the younger man in the jaw that was about to shock his heart back to a normal rhythm. He watches in horror as about a dozen armed men all pull their guns and start to point them at the Nathan James two senior officers.

"Get ready to duck!" Chandler calls out as he pushes the button on his radio twice – signaling the ship to unleash the targeted missiles that would aid in their escape.

Within seconds the entire south wall explodes into fist, arm and leg sized shards of glass, drywall and rebar; flying in every direction and sending all within striking distance to run for cover – any cover.

"Dad! Get out of here!" Chandler shouts as he fires off two shots, taking out an incoming hostile opponent. His father knows his son will have less to worry about with him out of the way, so he rolls back toward the top of the stairwell and bounds down, hurrying outside and waiting by the Jeep in case a quick getaway is in order.

"Slattery we need to g…" is all Chandler manages before he turns to see his right hand racing after the man that had only earlier held a knife to his throat. But before he can pursue his XO, Chandler is jumped from behind and a fight instantly ensues.

Despite his aching frame, Slattery's brain orders him after the man who had tried to use his wife against him; his body slamming into the leaders and taking them both down to the ground in a jumble of arms and legs. Slattery's fist balls, punching him in the side and making his lips grunt in agony.

But an elbow comes up, clips Slattery in the jaw and forcing his head to snap back in pain. "Where is she!" Slattery's voice growls as he tries to wrestle the gun away from his former captor. The man however, isn't about to say anything, instead he tosses back his head and catches Slattery right above the left eye, making his head instantly pound and his frame recoil.

Slattery's legs shoot out, kicking at his captor as he tries to scramble upright, forcing him back to his knees; his fist sailing through the air, striking his opponent in the jaw. "WHERE?" He shouts once more as the man merely laughs and returns the punch. "WHERE?" Slattery shouts once more as both hands reach out and rest on the end of the automatic weapon trying to pull it free.

"She's…dead!" The man laughs as he twists himself around, kicking Slattery in his aching chest and trying to get the gun up into shooting position.

It works somewhat but the shot he fires off, misses Slattery by a few inches – not rendering him any harm. The man sneers as he tries to get the gun back into place; Slattery's weary frame summoning up every ounce of energy he can to render his opponent useless. He finally delivers two quick blows to the man's mouth and nose, busting his lip and breaking his nose and forcing his eyes to water.

Slattery's blood-slippery fingers manage to pry the gun loose and he pulls back, breathing hard but cocking the trigger – ready to shoot. "Where…is my wife?" He manages with a heavy pant.

"Dead!" The man sneers. Within seconds, hell literally breaks loose again as another explosion is felt – rocking the entire room; Chandler on the radio ordering his men to stand down, the fight was almost over.

"Where is she!" Slattery demands once more.

The man before him has no intention of giving the well-intentioned officer anything he might want nor does he want to spend any time in jail or under military interrogation. So he makes a move to pull a spare piece from his boot holster. However the shot that rings out next isn't from the gun of Mike Slattery.

As the man's body crumples to the ground, cursing all the way; another male figure comes into view, his gun still trained. However, Chandler, at that same second saw the man about to shoot his XO and fires – taking him down a few seconds later.

Feeling defeated and relieved at the same time, Slattery stands in place; heart racing at top speed and breathing shallowed. He looks over at Chandler and nods, adding, "good timing," with a wry smirk. "Let's get…"

"Wait…" the younger man, lying dying on the ground calls out to Slattery as he makes a move to go off in the opposite direction.

Slattery looks at him and recognizes him as the man he had talked to earlier.

"I saw…your wife."

"She's alive?" Slattery asks in haste as he kneels down and tries to administer first aid; Chandler at his side in seconds and trying to stop the bleeding. "When? When did you see her?"

"Week ago."

"So she left her alive?"

"Yes. Samuelson…he heard her say her husband 'Mike' ….was in the Navy…said he was navy…fake ID…could get a message to him…but would need a word of trust…something only he would know…she told him…she didn't know."

"He never hurt her?" Slattery asks in haste.

"No."

"Thank God," he whispers in relief. "Okay let's get you to…"

"Leave…me…find…her…"

Both Slattery and Chandler utter soft curses as the younger man's eyes close and he takes his last breath, dying in their arms but at least not alone – as had been his fear, something his cruel leader had played upon.

"She was here. Christine was here," Slattery tells Chandler as he rests back on his bent knees. "She was here and alive when she left."

"We'll find her," Chandler says with a firm clap on his shoulder. "So you just…walked in here and…"

"No," Slattery tosses back in sarcasm. "You think I want to get my throat sliced for no reason? Well there was a reason but no…they used that damn word against me. Bastards."

"Sorry," Chandler states with a heavy frown.

"They wanted the cure…wanted to steal it and then sell it to their followers at top dollar."

"I don't think we'll see the last of these kind," Chandler replies as Slattery shakes his head in disgust. "So…a trap. What word did they use?" Chandler inquires as both slowly stand up and then limp toward the entrance where Jed Chandler was waiting to take them back to the command unit at the base of the Nathan James.

"It's private."

"She told him," Chandler retorts lightly.

"And it'll stay with him," Slattery counters as they pause to look at the destruction outside. "Damn…" he curses as Jed looks at them, urging them to hurry.

"Next time someone offers back up…take it."

"You offered backup? Who?"

"You didn't stay long enough to hear the offer," Chandler replies with a small smirk as he wipes some fresh blood from his mouth. "I'm sorry she wasn't here."

"They used her…damn cruel trap. Next time…what if it's real and I…she's out there Tom. With the kids…on the run."

"But she knows you're alive and has the cure. She'll find a way to contact you."

"And if it's another trap?"

"Next time you'll give the safe word," Chandler retorts as Slattery's lips slightly purse. "And you're welcome for me saving your ass."

"I had them right where I wanted them," Slattery snickers as they both slowly climb their battered frames into the Jeep.

"Sure."

"So who had who right where they wanted them?" Jed inquires as they near the harbour.

Slattery and Chandler look at each other, nod and then look at Jed and say at the same time, "I did."

"Right," Jed groans as he slowly pulls away. Slattery looks at the demolished building and then beyond. It had been a cruel trap – one of the worst so far, but he knows as long as his wife and children are out there, there is hope and he'll never stop looking.

 **THE END!**

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm always so unsure about a new fandom but I hope you all enjoyed this little action piece and would love a review before you go (best way to get more stories!) plus they motivate us like gold hehe And if you want more stories for our fave duo please let me know in your review and thanks so much!


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